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Alfred Parrish family papers

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Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
RG5.342
Repository:
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Extent:
2.5 linear ft. (5 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item or series here], Alfred Parrish Family Papers, RG5/342, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College.
Date:
1851-1957 (inclusive)
Abstract:
Business letter books, estate papers, and personal correspondence of Alfred Parrish (1848-1921). He and his brother Dillwyn Parrish were involved with tramway (trolley) development internationally. A birthright Quaker from Philadelphia, Alfred Parrish left the United States in 1879 and spent the remainder of his life in Europe, mostly England and Italy. His daughter, Gladys Parrish Huntington, was a well-known novelist.

Alfred Parrish was a birthright member of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Hicksite), the son of William Dillwyn Parrish and Elizabeth Miller Parrish. He was reported for marrying out of unity but acknowledged and was retained as a member. An "engineer and inventor," he left for Europe in 1879 and only returned to the States occasionally, spending most of his time in London and Italy. Alfred and his brother Dilllwyn were involved in tramway (trolley) development all over the world. Alfred married Katherine ("Kate") Broadwood Jennings of Kentucky in 1884, and they had two surviving children: Cora (1884-1922) and Gladys T. Parrish (1887-1959). In 1916 Gladys married Constant Davis Huntington (1876-1962), head of G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishers in London. He was the son of George and Lilly Huntington of Massachusetts.

Business letter books, estate papers, and personal correspondence of Alfred Parrish (1848-1921). He and his brother Dillwyn Parrish were involved with tramway (trolley) development internationally. A birthright Quaker from Philadelphia, Alfred Parrish left the United States in 1879 and spent the remainder of his life in Europe, mostly England and Italy. His daughter, Gladys Parrish Huntington, was a well-known novelist.

Arranged in three series: Series 1: Corrrespondence. Series 2: Business letter books; Series 3: Estate papers.

Gift of Katharine Urquhart, Acc. 2020.015

Correspondence of Gladys Parrish Huntington have been deposited in the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers, 1698-1968, Amherst College Archives and Special Collections;

Correspondence of Katherine Broadwood Jennings Parrish have been deposited in the Hennen-Jennings Archives at Louisiana State Univerity.

The War Story of Dillwyn Parrish Starr by Louis Starr, 1917. Cataloged in FHL books.

People
Subject
Occupation

Publisher
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Finding Aid Author
Susanna Morikawa
Finding Aid Date
September 2021
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Some of the items in this collection may be protected by copyright. The user is solely responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns to reuse, publish, or reproduce relevant items beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to the law. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/.

Collection Inventory

William D. Parrish to wife Elizabeth Miller Parrish, 1851.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

William D. Parrish (1815-1863) and his older brother Dillwyn Parrish (1809-1866) were among the ten Philadelphians who established the small community of Riverton, Burlington County, New Jersey, in 1851. Located on the Delaware River just north of Philadelphia, it was created as a summer resort. Most of the founders were Quakers.

Family and friends to Alfred Parrish, 1865-1867.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Including nephew Robin [Pearsall?]. Alfred's sister, Hannah M. Parrish, was married contrary to discipline William Pearsall in 1861. Their children (Robert, William Parrish, Elizabeth Parrish, and Mary) were received on request at Philadelphia MM (H) in 1875.

William and Hannah Pearsall, 1867-1870.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Includes a note from brother Dillwyn on the reverse of William's letter to Alfred.

William D. Parrish, Riverton, to son Alfred Parrish, 1867.
Box 1
Siblings, Riverton, New Jersey, to Alfred Parrish , 1867.
Box 1
Alfred Parrish to wife Kate Parrish, 1890-1896, 1919.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Affectionate letters which illustrate his travels and their their transcontinental lifestyle. The letters written in 1890 are on the letterhead of Birmingham, Sheffield and Tennessee River Railroad Company. In 1896, Alfred wrote from Mexico, and in 1919 he was in Dinard, France.

Kate Parrish to husband, ca. 1893-1899.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Kate Parrish to her husband, from London; Hotel Victoria in Beatenberg, Switzerland; Schwalbach, Paris, and other locations. No year but reflect same locations as Cora's letters to her father.

Kate Parrish to husband, ca. 1893-1899.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Most sent from England

Letters from daughters Cora and Gladys, 1895.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Family letters, most from Cora. Reference to her father's travels to Mexico and other locations. Gladys signs "Lamb."

Letters from daughters Cora and Gladys , 1896-1900.
Box 1
C. B. to "my friend and President", 1896.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

From Berlin

W. P. Pearsall to Alfred Parrish, 1895-1897.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Nephew and employee, son of William Pearsall and Hannah Parrish Pearsall.

Dillwyn Parrish, Monte Carlo, to Alfred Parrish, 1897.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Alfred's older brother and business partner

Dillwyn Parrish, Monte Carlo, correspondence , 1898, February-December.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Includes typed copy of a letter from Basil Zaharoff and letters from Dillwyn to Kate Parrish referencing business concerns in Spain and dealings with Zaharoff.

Sisters to Alfred Parrish, ca. 1899-1900, undated.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Sister-in-law Sarah[?]concerning illness of Dillwyn who died in 1899 and from sisters Mary and Hannah Parrish. Sarah was glad to know Alfred was in Berlin. Cora [Jennings?]

Alfred Parrish, Amberley, England, to sister, 1913.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

With a description of Amberley, postcard, and photograph

Alfred Parrish to daughter Gladys, London, England, 1914-1917.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Letters sent from Italy and France. Some comments on the War.

Muriel Beckett, London, to Alfred Parrish, 1915-10-03.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Handwritten letter in which she expressed indignation about Parrish's canceling a portrait by Mr. Biddle after the work was already in progress.

Alfred Parrish, Torquay, to Kate Parrish, 1915-10-19.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Death of Robin, killed in battle

Alfred Parrish, Dinard, France, to daughter Gladys, London, England, 1918.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Includes comments on news events

Alfred Parrish, Dinard, France, to daughter Gladys, London, England, 1919-1920.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Mentioned that he had purchased property in Dinard

Alfred Parrish, Dinard, to "My beloved Lamb" [wife Kate], 1921-04-22.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Concerning death of Louis Starr, Jr. (1884-1921) and the effect on his sister Mary Parrish Starr and husband Louis Starr.

Kate Parrish [?] account of Alfred's death, 1921.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Unsigned account of final illness and death of Alfred Parrish with the family at his bedside

Chauncey [Hackett] to Gladys Parrish, Amberley, Sussex County, England, 1914-08-05.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

From a friend writing from the Continent, in shock over sudden, unexpected events. Chauncey married Mary Cleveland Moffett in 1926.

Dillwyn Parrish Starr, Boulogne, France, to Gladys Parrish, 1914.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Dillwyn Parrish Starr, son of Louis Starr and Mary Parrish Starr of Philadelphia and nephew of Alfred Parrish. He was born in 1884 and left for Europe in 1914 to work with the Red Cross. He was subsequently commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards and killed in action at the Battle of the Somme in September 1916.

Concerning death of Dillwyn Starr Parrish, 1916-1919, undated.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Includes a note written by Dillwyn's mother, Mary Parrish Starr, that at her death letters from son should be given to Gladys Huntington, his cousin. Also material on memorial service for victims of the Battle of Somme which Gladys attended. Clipping on death of Edith Cavell, etc. [See also The War Story of Dillwyn Parrish Starr, a memorial volume compiled by his father for private circulation, 1917. FHL books]

Mary Parrish Starr, Philadelphia, to Alfred Parrish family, 1922 and undated.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Notes to Alfred, Kate, and Gladys

Miscellaneous to Dr. Louis Starr, 1922-1924.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Philadelphia Pediatric Society Motion in Appreciation of his teaching and writing. Also 1924 letter congratulations for his exhibition of etchings at the Royal Academy with annotation by wife Mary noting how much Louis appreciated this respect.

Stephanie [?] to Gladys , undated.
Box 2
Rebecca P. Hunt to Mary [Parrish], undated.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Concerning death of Richard

Draft of letter from Alfred Parrish to the Spectator.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Also note between Alfred and H? Jennings debating the accurate starting date of the 20th century

Lilly Huntington [?] to Constant Huntington, 1922.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Constant Huntington's mother

Letter from Grandmother Hennen, 1877.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Katherine (Kate) Parrish was the daughter of James Jennings and Kate Hennen Jennings. Arthur and Kate's son, Alfred Hennen Parrish (1885-1887), a namesake of both branches of the family, is buried in Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia, along side his mother, Katherine Parrish.

Birthday Ode by Constant Huntington, 1919-10-31.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Written for his mother-in-law, Katherine Jennings Parrish

? to Gladys Huntington, undated.
Box 2
Photographs.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Including Alfred Hennen Parrish (1885-1887); Alfreda Huntington Urquart (Alfred's granddaughter) as a child in Quaker dress; Group "Best cablegram wishes to the traveller from Lorraine d'O. Roosevelt;" snapshots of Alfred and Kate at Amberley

Miscellaneous, ca. 1915.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Water analysis, miscellaneous correspondence received by Jennings family (water damaged)

Physical Description

All letter books are very dirty as received.

"Calcutta", 1883-1885.
Box 2
"G", 1885-1890.
Box 3
Letter book, 1892-1893.
Box 3
Letter book , 1894-1895.
Box 4
Letter book , 1899-1900.
Box 4

Alfred Parrish Estate and Gladys Huntington Trust, 1929-1957.
Box 5
Property in England, 1921-1934.
Kate Broadwood Parrish Estate, 1934-1950.
Box 5
Papers largely concerning property in Italy, 1946-1954.
Box 5

Print, Suggest